Oscar Glamour Goes Retro

For many people, checking out what the stars are wearing is just as exciting as who goes home with the hardware on Oscar night.

Glamour magazine's editor-in-chief Cindi Leive and US Weekly's editor-in-chief Janice Min talk to The Early Show co-anchors Hannah Storm and Rene Syler about who was hot and who wasn't on the red carpet.

Both editors agree that in the past 10 years, celebrities have become much more savvy with their styles as they have teamed up with professional stylists to pull their looks together.

Leive says, "I actually noticed how few black dresses there were. The classic little black dress did not show up on the runway. There was a lot of pale, neutral colors, a lot of white dresses, things like that."

This year, both editors agree, was about retro-glamour, vintage, and '20s romantic. It was very much an ode to Old Hollywood.

Min says, "It was definitely old-fashioned glamour we saw on the red carpet. A lot of rippled hair, a lot of long trains, simple understated dresses. Gone were the days, for the most part, where people came and made horrendous mistakes."

But then again, do we really miss the days of Cher or Kim Basinger (Remember how she liked to make her own dresses?) or Demi Moore and her biker pants? You can expect some surprises like those at other awards shows, such as the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild, but not at the Oscars.

One of the people getting great reviews is Charlize Theron.

Leive says, "I thought she looked terrific. There were rumors she would wear a black see-through dress but instead she wore this sparkly Gucci dress. She has the golden thing going on and that brought that out."

But Min points out, "The one thing about Charlize, and other celebrities we saw, was you're seeing the golden girls thing taken literally. They're very tan. And in the magazine we have labeled it tan-arexia. You have a few pale women out on the red carpet, but a lot of them getting bronzed beforehand."

As for the make-up, Theron and other actress wore very little. Leive says, "That was pretty much the case across the board. Naomi Watts has that going on. The only one who did anything bold was Scarlett Johansen because she is, what, 8 years old, and would need the least."

Watts' look was Leive's other favorite. "I thought she was gorgeous," Leive says. "Basically, she's wearing almost the same dress as Charlize Theron: nude, sparkly, but doesn't have the tan-arexia."

Johansen, on the other hand went bold with color, wearing red lipstick and a green Alberto Faretti dress. Leive says, "I thought she looked great. It's a statement going for a full '40s retro-glamorous. This is not a look that looks relaxed. It's hard to imagine how you could enjoy yourself as a woman sitting through the Awards ceremony and then sitting through the party afterwards. I thought she looked terrific."

Min adds, "I know she got some criticism today in the paper saying she could have worn a girdle. But she's 19- years-old. She looks womanly enough. That's why a lot of people like her. She clearly didn't starve herself three weeks before the awards show, which is refreshing."

As for Nicole Kidman, she wore couture from Chanel with a Bulgari 195–carat necklace in green diamonds set in pink gold.

Leive says, "I thought she's fully atoned for the Golden Globes. I think she looks great, beautiful Chanel dress."

And since white is the new black, Renee Zellweger looked phenomenal in her Carolina Herrera dress.

Min notes, "A lot of people are saying she's developing with her. She looks classic, clean. Renee never makes a fashion mistake or takes things too far. As you recall, she was one of the few actresses who wasn't wearing a plunging top or had crazy hair. She let her own beauty speak for herself."

Zellweger also wore a Cartier 73.45-carat oval and pear-shaped diamond necklace, valued at $550,000, a Cartier 35-carat round and pear-shaped diamond bracelet, valued at $400,000, and a Cartier 5-carat diamond ring, valued at $100,000.

One of the few stars who wore black was Liv Tyler in Givenchy. Besides the dress, her hair stood out, as well.

Leive says, "She had, like Scarlet Johansen, a the lot of product in that hair. It was all swept to one side. It was a very intentional look. Personally, I happen to think Liv is young and has a rocker personality. I would have liked to see something younger and fresher."

As for the fashion misses, Min says Uma Thurman's dress was more "Pirates of the Caribbean." Leive agrees, "She always looks great but does have a very definite style. She does take risks, one of the few. It was a samurai style look, almost a bathrobe inspired look. She's almost seven feet tall and can wear anything she wants."

Diane Keaton went back to her "kooky" clothes, all covered up and masculine.

Min says, "You've got to shrug your shoulders to that one. She does her own thing. What was interesting, in 'Something's Gotta Give,' she had tremendous style, she was gorgeous. She didn't seem to learn any lessons from the movie."

Leive adds, "Very much trapped in 'Annie Hall'."

On the male front, guys played it safe as well. Johhny Depp for his part, did not wear the same suit he usually wears on the red carpet and he shaved and had a new haircut.

"The bangs are very 'Edward Scissorhands,'" says Leive.

Min adds, "I don't understand the collar, personally, but he's so cute, he can wear whatever he wants."

Stuart Townsend also stood out in his white tux jacket. Min notes, "It was very much, 'waiter where is my soup?' It was an unusual choice. He stood out."

Leive disagrees, "I think he looks good. I don't think anyone was handing him the keys."

In any case, he had the best woman on his arm, Charlize Theron.